By Jill Luculano
This is more than a celebration of Bucky’s life. It’s a celebration of mine as well. Bucky was the inspiration that led me to seek treatments that would change my life.
Bucky was my four-legged nephew, my sister’s dog. In his early years, we only saw each other occasionally. Not only did we live farther away from each other, but I was allergic to him and all his canine friends. I think it was sad for both of us. I wanted desperately to pet and hug him, and I’m sure he would have liked a little more attention. I told him often that I wanted to kiss him on the head before I died. We did our best from afar, but we wanted more.
My husband and I are avid campers. Bucky, his sister, and his mom wanted to camp with us. How would we do this? I’d have trouble breathing if we were all too close together. The answer? Bucky’s family would get their own camper and we’d travel together… separately. So, we began to camp together: Joe and me in our camper; and Bucky, his mom, and his sis in their camper. It was the perfect solution.
We traveled to lots of places together, and I was able to spend more time with him. It was great. There were still limitations, of course, and I had to keep my distance from him and his sister. When we went hiking and wanted to drive together, we had to make some adjustments.
On one trip, we all wanted to ride together to the Grand Canyon from our campsite, but Bucky and his family couldn’t ride in front with us. So they rode way in the back of our enclosed truck bed, separated from us. We missed not talking and visiting along the way, but we made it work.
One day, I got some exciting news. My sister decided to buy a house right near us. I would finally be closer to her, and to my friend Bucky. I was elated. When we became neighbors, we developed a special bond. We were now geographically closer, but I still wanted to be physically closer to him. I told him again, “I’m gonna kiss your head before I die, Buckaboo.”
It was then that I decided to undergo treatments for my allergies so I could keep my promise. I traveled to Phoenix regularly for two years to treat my many allergies. To me, the most important of all were my allergies to animals.
As we worked on the allergies, I tested the water by getting closer and closer to him; a short pet from a safe distance now and then, and then the mandatory hand wash. I often overdid it, but it was worth it.
Little by little, month after month, I saw improvement. And finally, a miracle. I could get near him. I mean really near him. Praise God! What a blessing this was. It wasn’t 100%, but I was close enough to feel the love of my boy Buck.
Our relationship flourished. When he was out for a walk with his family and saw me walking up the road, he’d go off leash and come running up making his happy-to-see-you noises. When I went to his house to visit, he’d jump and whine and smother me with love. What a feeling!
I thought Bucky was the cutest guy ever. He had a scruffy, wiry look, a tousled mane, and the most loving eyes. His expressions just melted my heart—especially his wide-eyed innocence when he was naughty. He had a little tuft of longer hair on the top of his head that was white against his darker coat, a funny little hairdo. So cute. And his personality just added to his cuteness.
He loved his walks. The excitement when he saw the leash sent him into his bucking-bronco routine. And then, he’d get so engrossed in his walk, it was hard to talk to him. If he could speak, I’m pretty sure he’d say “I can’t talk to you right now. I have things to do and places to be.”
Naturally, there were brief stops and lots of sniffing, and then right back on the mission, ears back, full steam ahead. We loved our walks together as we became closer.
He was a nervous fella. It made him seem shy, which was very endearing. He had a hard time with kids on bikes and some trucks—like FedEx and the Amazon guy. He was a mama’s boy, and never far from the comfort of his beloved mom.
Speaking of his mom, she gave him the most wonderful life. He was a very lucky boy. She saved him at just four months old from what could have been a short, tough life for him. She nurtured him, as she did all her kiddos over the years, and he lived the best life he could.
On his last day, we spent some time together. He laid his head on my leg. I hugged and held him as we laid beside each other on the floor. I told him his Auntie loved him so, so much, and that I would miss him terribly. I told him I’d see him in heaven.
And, yes, I did get to kiss his head.
